Fans of sparkly tights, waxed chests and panting celebrities: prepare to celebrate. Strictly Come Dancing has announced the new season's launch date.

The BBC1 behemoth will be returning to your screens on - drum roll please - Saturday 7 September at 6.50pm.

Yep, a week after it's biggest rival X Factor returns on ITV1...but don't fret, there will only be a 10 minute clash that night. Simon Cowell's baby kicks off at 8pm while Strictly finishes at 8.10pm so you'll be able to watch them both one after the other while eating strudel and waving goodbye to your weekend social life.

There will be a few weeks' break after the launch show for the celebrities to train and then the series will run all the way up to Christmas...no doubt with more (non)schedule clash stories to follow. Ooh, the drama!

This Strictly series will see a record 15 new celebrities being dragged around the floor with their professional partners. The launch show introduces the stars before they discover who their partners are going to be and they'll all perform together for the first time.

Brucie will be there of course, dancing around and generally making everyone else feel really old and decrepit.

We feel exhausted and lazy just looking at him (Image: BBC)

There will be music from Rod Stewart and Jessie J who'll be debuting her latest single. (Unconfirmed reports suggest Rod won't be twerking.)

This series will feature four new full-time professional dancers so the extra celebs won't have to dance on their own.

The rumour mill is cranked up already about who could be one of the lucky 15. Abbey Clancy has been heavily plugged which should boost up the viewing figures of teenage boys.